Connecter for electric conductors



J1me 16, 11935. ,1 F FRESE 7 2,044,679

CDNNEGTER FOR ELEcTMc cunmwmas Filed May 16, 1935 Patented June 16, 1 936 I UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE CONNECTER FOR. ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Joseph F. Frese, Baltimore, Md assignor to Monitor Controller Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application May 16, 1935, Serial No. 21,884

/ '4Claims. (01.173-263) This invention relates to a clamp adapted particularly for clamping electrical conductors. such as wires or cables, to connect them to one another or to terminals mechanically and electrically. The clamp comprises two similar gripping members and a bolt which passesthrough said members for drawing them together. Each member comprises a flat plate having lugs on one side cooperating with similar lugs on the other member to form seats for the electrical conductors. The lugs are so spaced that in either of two different relative positions of the clamping members, the lugs on one member will be staggered with respect to those on the other and two channels for the conductors will be formed between the staggered lugs. The lugs interfit so as to prevent turning of the members. In one of the relative positions of the clamping members two relatively small conductors of the same members at such an angle to one another as.

would cause them to bind against the clamping 25 bolt. For clamping a single large cable or wire,

each clamping member is provided with a .fulcrum lug, and in one relative position of the members these lugs abut against one another, thus spacing the members apart at that edge 30 while the lugs adjacent the opposite-edge engage the larger conductor. a

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention clamping two wires or cables of equal small diameter, the latter being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the clamp arranged to hold a single large wire or cable;

.Fig. 3 is a central section taken on line. 33 of Fig. 1; 40 Fig. 4 is a central section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and, Fig. 6 is an inner face view of the two parts of the clamp. 45 Referring to the drawing, the clamp shown comprises two members a, a adapted to be adjustably secured together by a carriage type bolt 11 having a flattened head b and fitted with a nut c and lock washer d. The bolt passes through 0 square holes I, in the centers of the members a, a and the squared portion b on the bolt beneath its head cooperates with the walls of one of these holes and prevents the bolt from rotating -in respect to the members.

The-two members a, a are identical staggered relation.

each having projecting lugs on one face which are adapted to interfit with the lugs on the other when the members are placed face to face to provide two channels or passages e, e' with parallel axes for the reception of one or two conductors. Since the two members are identical as seen in Fig. 6 a description of one will serve for both.

Eachmember comprises a preferably square plate of uniform thickness with one face sub- 10 stantially flat except for the depression 2 surrounding the hole I which provides a seat for the bolt head or a lock washer. The opposite or inner face of each plate is provided with a plurality of integral lugs for gripping the conducl5 tors. Such lugs may be variously arranged in In the drawing the lugs are shown in pairs 3, 4, 5, and 6, those lugs of each pair having their cooperating surfaces 3, 3", etc. inclined at an angle of substantially 45 to the face of the plate whereby the angle included between said. surfaces is substantially 90. The apex of this angle or V is substantiallyat the face of the plate. The V's of the pairs 3 and 4 are in alinement as are the vs of the pairs 5 and 6 to form seats for parallel conductors or cables and the lugs of one set of two pairs are in staggered relationship to those of the other pair. The side faces'of each lug are normal to the face of the clamp member; Since the members are similar and the inner face of each is symmetrical as regards lug positions, the two members can be brought together with the pairs of lugs of one member occupying the spaces adjacent the pairs of lugs on the other and with the V's of cooperating pairs on the two members reversed as clearly seen on the left of Fig. 4.

This provides two passages of square cross section for the conductors, in either of the adjusted positions of the clamping members, and the sizes 40 of the passages depend upon the nearness of the numbers to each other, the minimum limit being clamped the opposing faces of the members are parallel to each other. Each conductor is clamped in four V's, two on each member and in staggered relationship so that tight clamping I can be eiifected by drawing up the nut on-the bolt.- Rotation of one member in respect to the other about the axis of the bolt is prevented by the engagement of the side faces of the lugs on the opposing members as seen for instance at 9 in Fig. 2, and also by the conductor or conductors which the jaws engage.

Where two conductors of equal diameter are to be clamped and thus mechanically and electrically connected, no other parts are needed on the two clamp members, but where it is desired to clamp a single relatively large cable or wiresome means is desired to hold apart the sides of the clamp members remote from the conductor so that the relative inclination of the two members is a minimum; This takes the form of a flat topped fulcrum lug l in the middle of one edge of each member offset from the conductor axes. The corresponding space at the opposite side of the same member is vacant as at 8 so that when the members are assembled, as in Figs. 1 and 3, each lug I occupies a position opposite the space 8 of the other member and each lug l is thus ineffective since it is less in height than the lugs 3, 4, 5 and S. I

If, however, one of the members a or a is rotated about the bolt through an angle of 180 the two lugs l are opposed and they are of such height as, when abutted, to hold the edges of the members containing said lugs spaced apart a greater distance than they would be held by engagement of the tops of the triangular lugs with the inner faces of the, opposing clamp members as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 4. This fits the clamp for holding a single large conductor without undue tilting of the clamp members.

The clamp can obviously be used to hold two wires or cables of different sizes in which case the positioning of the two parts is preferably that shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The arrangement of the pairs of lugs forming the opposing Vs in staggered relationship along the clamped wires or cables forces the wires or cables to take a slight sinuous form which insures against slippage and makes for good electrical connection.

What I claim is:

1. A clamp for parallel wires or cables or a single wire or cable comprising a pair of similar clamp members and means for securing them together in adjusted opposed relation, in either of two positions, each of said members comprising a plate having on the face adapted to oppose the other member a plurality of lugs adapted to engage the'wires' or cables, eachmember having on said face near the center of one edge a fulcrum lug and a blank space near the center of the opposite edge, whereby in oneassembled position of the members the fulcrum lugs engage each other to space said edges and in the other position fit in the blank spaces and are inactive.

2. A clamp for parallel wires or cables or a single wire or cable comprising a pair of similar clamp members and a bolt for securing them together in adjusted opposed relation, in either of two positions, each of said members comprising a plate having on the face adapted to oppose the other member a plurality of lugs, adapted to form seats for the wires or cables, arranged for staggered disposition with those of the other member so that sides of lugs on the opposed members engage to prevent relative rotation of the memin hers about the axis of the securing means and a fulcrum lug on each member adjacent an edge thereof ofiset from the cable seat axes, the opposite edge having a blank space, whereby the clamp members can be arranged either with the fulcrum lugs in cooperating opposed relationship to space their respective member edges or with each fulcrum lug opposite a blank space and thus inactive.

3. A clamp for parallel wires or cables or a 20 single wire or cable comprising a pair of similar clamp members and means for securing them together in adjusted opposed relation, in either of two positions, each of said members comprising a plate having on the face adapted to oppose the other member a plurality of lugs adapted to form seats for the wires or .cables and-arranged for staggered disposition with those of the other member, the faces of said lugs which engage the cable being substantially straight and inclined 30 at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with respect to said surface of the plate, each member having on saidface near the center of one edge a fulcrum lug and a blank space near the center of the opposite edge, whereby in one 3 assembled position of the members the fulcrum lugs engage each other to space said edges and in the other position fit in the blank spaces and are inactive.

4. A clamp for parallel wires or cables or a single wire or cable comprising a pair of similar clamp members and means for securing them in adjusted opposed relation in either of two positions, each of said members comprising a plate having on the face adapted to oppose the other member a plurality of rows of lugs, adapted to form seats for the wires or cables, the lugs in the rows for engaging each cable being arranged for staggered disposition with respect to the lugs in the corresponding rows on the other member, and

each member having a fulcrum lug adjacent an edge thereof offset from the cable seat axes, the opposite edge having a blank space, whereby the clamp members can be arranged either with the fulcrum lugs in cooperating opposed relationship to space their respective member edges or with each fulcrum lug opposite a blank space and thus inactive.

JOSEPH F. FRESE. 

